Dhalia
by 1chi50
Summary: None.


A Ranma ½ fanfic. Insert standard Ranma disclaimer.  
  
Is there a Ranma fic already titled Dhalia? If there is, I'll change the title. -------- Sutra 1- Ranma- Happiness -------  
  
Ranma sat in front of the mirror and stared at the image before him. He had been sitting there for hours, since five in the morning, although with his straight poise and rather serious expression, one wouldn't have been able to tell. When Nabiki had passed by his door, she wasn't even able to tell he had been sitting in front of that mirror since five in the morning. However, when she caught sight of him, she did realize something else.  
  
"Ranma-kun? Shouldn't you be at school?"  
  
Ranma's immediate reply was to not move an inch from his position. Five seconds later, he didn't even blink.  
  
"Ranma, are you awake?"  
  
Again, Ranma failed to show any signs that he knew she was there.  
  
The sight of a totally listless Ranma was too priceless a chance for Nabiki to pass up. After she took one more glance at him to make sure he wouldn't move, she hurried off down the hallway, to the bathroom. Two minutes later, she returned with a bucket full of water.  
  
It was obvious what happened next. Nabiki chuckled at the drenched female Ranma. "Heh, heh. Serves you right for not paying attention." She jived at him.  
  
It was then that she noticed that Ranma had now set her gaze upon her. A long minute passed without a word being said, which made Nabiki very uncomfortable.  
  
"Uh. hey, Ranma...Uh? What's up?"  
  
"Nabiki, can I ask you something?"  
  
Nabiki blinked at the request. It wasn't just the fact that Ranma was asking for her advice that threw her off, but the fact that she had stated the question so calmly and plaintively.  
  
"Uh, yeah sure. Ask me anything you want." She said. She hoped that she sounded convincing enough. This Ranma was wierding her out.  
  
"Thanks Nabiki," said Ranma as she smiled kindly at her. Nabiki blushed, what the heck was up with this new Ranma? A second passed between them, then Ranma suddenly asked her something that totally threw her off balance.  
  
"Nabiki? Should I be happy?"  
  
Nabiki blinked at her little sister's would be fiance. What type of question was that? Maybe if is she heard something like that from Ryoga it wouldn't have bothered her so much. But this was the happy go lucky Ranma that had asked her if she should be happy. Why would Ranma ask her if she should be happy? The sheer oddness of it all jumbled her thoughts into a big mess inside her head. And she had no choice but to cleanly phrase all her questions into one word to save her from thinking too much.  
  
That word was: "What?"  
  
Ranma's gaze never faltered, and she asked again, "I just want to know. Should a guy like me, who has multiple women chasing after him, multiple enemies out for his blood, and bad ass martial arts skills, have the right to be happy?"  
  
Nabiki slowly reached a hand out toward him. She was getting a little worried now.  
  
"Aaaah, Ranma? You're not planning anything weird now are you?"  
  
Ranma let out a sigh as her body slumped. It was as if her spirit had left her and had deflated her body.  
  
Ranma threw her a confused glance. "What do you mean weird?"  
  
Damn, she didn't actually want to ask her if she was planning suicide or something like that. She had to find a nicer way to phrase it. After some thought, she decided it was best to ask her. "Why are you asking me this?"  
  
Ranma looked up in thought. "Ah, well, I was talking to Gosunkugi recently...You know, I always forget that guy's in my class?"  
  
Nabiki rubbed the bridge of her nose. Ah, Gosunkugi...she never really considered him as someone that would have a great effect on Ranma's life, but it was apparent that something he said had effected Ranma greatly.  
  
"Anyway," Ranma said without missing a beat, "You know what that guy said to me? He said that I was a lucky guy."  
  
Nabiki blinked, then stared at Ranma. "He what?"  
  
"Yeah, he said that I was a lucky guy. He said that he would love to live my life, with four or more women having the hots for my body, and having mad martial arts skills to overpower my enemies."  
  
Nabiki waved a hand at him impatiently, "So how does this make you ask me if you should be happy?"  
  
Ranma sighed again, and cupped her face in her hand. "Well, see, I'm not really happy with my life right now. I've got four relationships I didn't ask for, and I've got multiple enemies I didn't ask for, as well as martial arts skills I just realized that I didn't really need. You know, I could've just stayed with my mom, and lived a normal life..."  
  
Ah, she knew that this was a long time coming. Every man was a rope pulled taught between two boulders moving apart, and it seemed that Ranma was at her breaking point. "So, you're rethinking your life now?" Asked Nabiki, certain that she had solved Ranma's plight.  
  
"Absolutely not." Was Ranma's firm reply.  
  
Nabiki was at a loss for words "Ah, then what?"  
  
Ranma stood up from her seat, and began to talk animatedly, walking back and forth while waving her hands about haphazardly. "Well, no matter how hard I think about the past I can't relive it, so what's the point of obsessing over what should have and could have been? I could say my life should have been this, or should have been that, but it's not going to change my future. What I'm wondering is if my life right now is good. I realized, after talking to Hikaru, was that there are lesser guys than me living boring lives, while I'm living the lives they want to live. Shouldn't this mean I should be happy?"  
  
Nabiki smiled, as she finally understood what Ranma was asking her.  
  
"Ranma," She said with her cat like smiled, "You are asking the most simple question that has plagued mankind for centuries upon centuries."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Said Ranma, "Then can you answer my question?"  
  
"Sure can, Ranma-kun." She then extended her hand, "But first give me ten thousand yen."  
  
Ranma back-peddled, aghast, "Nabiki! You know I don't have that much change on me!"  
  
Nabiki smirked at him, "I know you don't have it, but it's what I do. I am the ice-queen Nabiki Tendo. For anyone asking for any type of information, I'll shake them down. It's not something I'm very proud of, but I am happy doing it. Because, no matter what type of problems my reputation might bring, I enjoy what I am doing."  
  
"But I can't pay you ten thousand yen!" Exclaimed Ranma.  
  
Nabiki gave her a disinterested shrug, "Well too bad, then you'll have to scrape around for the answer yourself."  
  
"Akane! My precious daughter Akane!"  
  
Soun's yell echoed through the house. Sounded like her little sister was in trouble again. She looked to her little sister's would be protector and found him still rubbing his chin deep in thought. She smirked and said, "Well looks like Akane's in trouble again. Aren't you going to do anything about it?"  
  
Ranma had now covered her face in her hand, and was grumbling to herself. Nabiki could really hear the gears turning in his head.  
  
"Well whatever," She said as she exited his room, "I'll just go find out what my little sister is caught in this time. Later Saotome."  
  
"Dammit, should I be happy?" He grumbled to herself. She then realized she was talking to herself. "Hey, Nabiki, where'd ya go?"  
  
A wail echoed from the living quarters downstairs, followed by Soun's tell- tale cry of, "Akane! Where are you?!" This was something that was rather commonplace for Ranma, and it brought her back to her senses.  
  
Ranma grimaced, "Sounds like the stupid tomboy got herself kidnapped again."  
  
Her grimace turned into a confident grin as she left her room, "Well, looks like I've got to save her one more time!"  
  
----[end]---  
  
AN: This may not be the last one. I also plan on doing Akane, Shampoo, and Ryoga, when I feel like doing it. Neither of those three follow-ups may be as optimistic as this one, though :). 


End file.
